My worse nightmare come true...

  • Thread starter Thread starter joro
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joro

joro

The Pie Guy
Vintage 1968 martin 000-18.....


I put Elixer strings on it...Nano technology my ass.....

the extreme tension caused a crack from the brige straight up to the pickguard.....I am not sure if it is just the surface finish or not but, I am totally bummed out....................


What the fuck am I gonna do????

Can a luthier fix something so precious as this instrument??


It still sounds awesome but I am wondering if I should de-string it and take it right in to a good shop...or send it back to the factory in PA.......




HELP!!!!!!!

I am totally bummed out....ya know?
 
Man that sucks!I'd send it back to the factory..Being it is one of theirs{and vintage} I'm sure that Martin will do a great job..Good luck

Don
 
A little bit of fine cloth saturated with animal hide glue applied underneath to the crack will stabilize things and can always be totally removed with no remaining evidence.

If the top of your guitar was otherwise excellent with no cracks you probably lost about 25% of it's value.
 
philboyd studge said:
A little bit of fine cloth saturated with animal hide glue applied underneath to the crack will stabilize things and can always be totally removed with no remaining evidence.

If the top of your guitar was otherwise excellent with no cracks you probably lost about 25% of it's value.
Click to expand...


It is pristine otherwise......
it spent 23 years in a closet in ideal conditions.....
the only other issue with it is that the strings have been cutting deep into the holes at the bridge.....I know that this can be fixed ....

Thanks guys......
I am bummed that the value is gonna drop but, as long as it does not totally break....I am happy....it is for playing....and recording....I will admit that it is nice to look at as well....

damn!
gotta find a good luthier close by....I really do not want to risk "shipping" it to PA....damn!


thanks again guys...
 
What guage strings were you using? You're not supposed to use anything heavier than medium on most high-end Martins.
 
hey Joro, you should send it to a luthier.
And if in the meantime you want to know more about it, check www.frets.com. Maybe you know it, but it's the best site about guitar tuning and repairing that I found on the net (although the layout hides the real good stuff).

Cheers, Andrés
 
Hix...they were mediums.....
but I swear that elixers must create more tension....
either that...or it was just time for the crack....I dunno....
\
Thanks Andres for the link...I will check it out...

Thanks again fellers...
Joe:(
 
String manufacturers use different core gauges in the wound strings for the same overall gauge; the larger the core, the more tension. I was just reading a post from someone else that the electric Elixirs seem stiffer in the same gauge than other brands, they must use a bigger core. Things happen to acoustic guitars, they are very fragile, this crack may have happened eventually anyway, has the air been drier than usual there? Wood expands and shrinks with the humidity, mostly ACROSS the grain. Someone from the east coast told me a few weeks ago that they were in a drought condition. Universal Law = things tend to go from order to disorder, probably not too many over 34 year old guitars without cracks...
 
Hi Major Tom and C7
The guit has been kept in ideal conditions in one room...
It has never left the room since I have had it.......
this is my family room and is temp and climate controlled...
I don't even use the fireplace anymore...

That is why I suspect the strings.....
It is the only non constant factor.....

I am still undecided as to where to take it....
If it goes to PA....I am gonna have to go with it.....
I better do something soon though before it gets worse....

damn!
Thanks guys,
Joe
 
Please tell me you've already pulled the strings off. I nice instrument like that and the ordeal that you've gone through, I would baby it until I got it to a luthier.
 
Hi Dick,
I took off the Elixers and put on Martin SP lights....

I did not want to remove all of the tension from the guit.....

I may be wrong....perhaps someone can tell me...
 
With the lights you should be good to go, just stick with the light strings until you get it looked at. Also pay attention to see if the crack is growing/propagating at all. If so, remove the strings and take it to a luthier to get it corrected.
 
whew!

Thanks man....I thought this was correct...I appreciate the confirmation...
Joe
 
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